glad tidings april 2015

Easter ServicesHomecoming 2015

New MembersChildren’s Ministries

Stephen MinistriesCongregational CareMissions

“The Lord has risen indeed.” Luke 24:34

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A M O N T H L Y N E W S L E T T E R O F I S L E O F H O P E U N I T E D M E T H O D I S T C H U R C H

W hen the icy wind of disappoint-ment blows across a human heart it can threaten to extinguish the flame of devotion in even the most pas-sionate lover of God.

Disappointment is one of Satan’s most effective weapons for neutral-izing the effectiveness of faithful followers of Christ. He will use it to tie us up with the bondage of resent-ment, hold us hostage to cynicism and rob us of our God given hopes and dreams.

With it he can drown out the voice of reason and convince us that God re-ally doesn’t love us or we would never be going through such a painful ex-perience. With disappointment, he will cast shadows of doubt on the path that leads to the future God has promised us. There is nothing more difficult to revive than a heart that has been frozen by the bitterness of

From Hurt to Hope

IOHUMC Student Ministries

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Glad TidinGs (UsPs-706-200) PUblished MonThly by The isle of hoPe UniTed MeThodisT chUrch, 412 ParkersbUrG road, savannah, Ga 31406. Periodical PosTaGe Paid in savannah, GeorGia. PosTMasTer: send chanGe of address To Glad TidinGs, 412 ParkersbUrG road, savannah, Ga 31406.

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NEWSLETTEREVENTS*

Traditional Worship 8:45 & 11:15 aM

Non-Traditional Worship 11:15 aM

Sunday School 10:00 aM

Isle of Hope UMC412 Parkersburg roadsavannah, Ga 31406www.iohumc.com

Office HoursMonday-Thursday: 8am-5pm

friday: 8am-3pm

tele: 912.355.8527fax: 912.355.9113

sign-up for our weekly enewslettersat www.iohumc.com

412 Parkersburg Road, Savannah, GA 31406

Isle of HopeUnited Methodist Church

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* A complete calendar of all Isle of Hope UMC events can be found online at www.iohumc.com.

April 2015

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SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

Maundy Thursday Service

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disappointment. However, it’s won-derful to know that the persistent love of Jesus Christ has the power to revive passion in even the coldest of hearts.

Luke 24:13-35 is an account of what Jesus did for two disciples who had been devastated by disappointment. We don’t know a great deal about these two Emmaus travelers, but we know they had been loyal to Jesus and his mission.

They apparently had faithfully fol-lowed the Lord and had placed all of their confidence and trust in Him. They believed he was, as they said, “the one who was going to redeem Is-rael” (Luke 24:21).

However, their dreams turned to ashes, and their hopes to disappoint-ment, as they watched Jesus be sen-tenced to death, crucified, and buried as a failure. If all that wasn’t painful enough, three days after the crucifix-ion some women added insult to their injuries, rubbed salt in their wounded hearts, by telling them a fanciful tale that, “they had seen a vision of angels, who said Jesus was alive” (Luke 24:23).

Disappointment made it impossible to trust anyone. They did what many of us do when we have been disap-pointed. They started withdrawing. They withdrew from the rest of the disciples and headed toward their home in Emmaus, a small village about seven miles from Jerusalem.

Glad Tidings

Vol. V • April 2015

Gt31 1 2 3Good Friday Service

Wednesday Night Supper




Latin Dinner

D-Now Retreat through Sunday


Cantata in Traditional Worship Service

THURSDAY

“Were not our hearts burning within us while he was speaking to us on the road and explaining

the Scriptures to us?” -Luke 24:32

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Easter Sunday

District Conference Sharing Session w/ Rev. Meg Procopio

Sharing Session w/ Rev. Meg Procopio

I am so grateful that the risen Christ went after them. Jesus is never con-tent to leave us in our discontent-ment. He is never satisfied to leave us to our disappointment. W hen He reached them on the road, they didn’t recognize Him at first. They were blinded by their hurt.

The clouds of doubt, the fog of mis-trust, hid His glorious face from their view. Although they could not recog-nize his Presence, because of the con-dition of their heart, he graciously turned their attention to the witness of God’s faithfulness throughout Biblical history. He revealed to them how God has always had a plan for His people, and no disappointing circum-stance could thwart it.

As He spoke to them, the truth of his Words, and the reality of His Pres-ence, began to clear away the fog and melt their cold, bitter hearts (Luke 24:32). The Holy Spirit began to re-kindle the flame of faith that had once burned so brightly inside of them. They heard and believed the unshakable testimony of God’s love, mercy and grace.

The more they listened to his Word, the more their disappointment began to give way to hope – and then to joy. Suddenly, they realized the Sovereign Lord has been, is now, and always shall be – with us and for us. Finally, they saw and understood that in the crucified and risen Christ, nothing would ever be able to separate them, or us, from the love of God.

As Paul says in Romans, “neither death nor life, nor angels nor princi-palities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

That revelation set their hearts aflame again with a new desire to

know and follow the Lord. Let me ask you a question. Have you or someone you love gone through some deep dis-appointment in life? It helps to re-member that Jesus never intends to minimize the hurt.

After all, he still has the scars of his own suffering. His grace and love however, have the power to carry us from hurt to hope. God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting. I thank God that, like the two on the Emmaus road, my eyes can be opened to his Presence even in the midst of disap-pointment.

Like them, our hearts can be touched by the testimony of others who have found God faithful in the midst of heartache. The crucified and risen Christ is with us on the journey from hurt to hope.

Mike

pray, servepray, serve

From Hurt to Hope continued from page 1

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Bayonnais, Haiti May 13-19

We will teach English and develop friendships with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Tapachula, Mexico June 20-27

We will be a relief team for the house parents at one of the Mission on the Move Children’s HomesMandatory Meetings on April 22 at 5 PM and May 27 at 5 PM

HondurasAugust 1-7

We will be doing construction at one of the Mission on the Move sitesMandatory Meetinsgs on June 10 at 5 PM and July 8 at 5 PM

If you are interested in learning more or would like to sign up, contact Julie or Ayrin at 355-8527

UPCOMING MISSIONS EVENTSLatin Dinner Save the Date Friday, April 17th at 6 PM

On the Mission Field

Thursday, April 2nd Maundy Thursday

7 PM

Maundy Thursday ServiceHoly Communion

Friday, April 3rdGood Friday

12 PMGood Friday Service

A service of quiet reflection.

Sunday, April 5thEaster

8:45 AM Traditional Service10:00 AM Traditional Service

Music by Joyful Noise, Kids of the Kingdom and Twinklers choirs

10:00 AM Sunday School 10:00 AM Releasing of the butterflies

at the Flowering Cross11:15 AM Traditional Service

11:15 AM Anchor Service

EASTER SERVICESThe Hispanic American ConnectionDinner, Silent Auction and Sale

This event is sponsored by Friends ‘n Needles Prayer Shawl Group, with help from our new Hispanic members, and is being held to raise funds for our Hispanic American Missions Ministries. The Christ Child’s Nest and Faith in Practice Medical Mission, both in Guatemala, have been supported in the past.

There will be a silent auction of donations from merchants and friends, sale of light and bright handmade items, a flavorful dinner followed by lively entertainment on stage and in Spanish. Our own senior pastor, Rev. Mike Ricker, and well-known Rev. Abi Rodriguez will be featured accompanied by other accomplished musicians.

¥Dinner ¥ Silent Auction

¥ Entertainment

The Hispanic

American

Connection

Friday April 17 6pm

Isle of Hope UMC Adults: $10 Children: $5

**Tickets can be purchased at the church

office** 912.355.8527

Sponsored by Friends ‘n needles prayer shawl group

Proceeds go to Latin missions

♬ ♪

Remember to bring flowers for the

Flowering Cross on Easter Sunday!

WELCOME TO OUR NEW STAFF MEMBER: Grace Barkley

connect, equip pray, serve

Grace BarkleyCommunications Coordinator

Grace has been in the Savannah area since 2011. She graduated with her M.F.A. in Writing from SCAD in 2014. Originally from Davidson, N.C., Grace lives in Pooler and enjoys reading, photography, drawing and walking her two dogs, Sami and Kelly. Grace will be working on communications here at Isle of Hope UMC including the weekly bulletin, eblast and monthly Glad Tidings newsletter. If you would like to share your events and announcements with the church community, please email Grace at [email protected] or stop by the front office and say hello!

Do you feel that God is calling you to serve internationally this year? Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone and allow God to work in and through you? We have several opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels to step out in faith and serve in His name.

Mark your calendars! Our first Coastal District Conference and Laity Workshop will be held Sunday, April 12, 2015 from 2:30 to 5 PM at White Bluff UMC.

Please call the church office at 912.355.8527 if you plan to attend.

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I’m dreaming some new dreams. I want to invite you to dream with me! I am offering two SHARING SESSIONS this month, Tuesday, April 14th at 10 AM and April 15th at 6:45 PM. Both of these meetings will take place in the Church Parlor. Please come and Listen. Please come and Share! Together we will begin to build a ministry of care throughout our congregation and community. Purpose: To establish a Congregational Care Ministry by building our resources to give the best comfort, care, and information to our congregation members and their loved one(s).

2015 Goals 1. Establish a Grief Sharing Ministry2. Establish a Divorce Care Ministry

3. Establish a “Beyond the Walls” Ministry4. Develop a Marriage Enrichment Weekend

STEPHEN MINISTRIES: Christ caring for people, through people...

Join us Sunday, May 3, to celebrate our church and

HOMECOMING.You won’t want to miss this special Sunday which involves a covered dish supper under the oaks on the front lawn and music from

The Hope Band.

Rev. Jim Morrow will be our speaker. Jim served as Associate Pastor of IOHUMC

from 2010-2104. Make sure to say hello to Jim, his wife Amanda and sons Jackson and Dean Thomas. We’re looking forward to his

homecoming visit to IOHUMC.

Altar FlowersFlowers are the perfect way to honor your loved ones during an anniver-

sary, birthday, graduation, memo-rial, etc. To arrange a special day for a gorgeous floral display contact Nancy Fuqua at fuqua.nancy22@

gmail.com.

You may now give your contributions online with Check Free Bill Pay. Through your bank, you can now schedule your contributions made to Isle of Hope United Meth-odist Church. Since Isle of Hope UMC is registered with Check Free, your bank will automatically send your designated funds directly to the Church account. Through your online banking system, you may also choose to have your bank cut a bank check and direct it to the Church. If you have any questions please contact Shirley Carter at 912-355-8527.

PLACE • You’ve been hearing a lot about “Live the Call”. Want to know how? Join Bob Akin and Rachel Blankenship for the PLACE experience and grow closer to Christ and other Christians as you learn how He has equipped you to serve him in your own personal ministry. PLACE is a casual group experience where you will learn how you are uniquely created in His image to serve Him. PLACE is an acronym that stands for Personality, Learning your spiritual gifts, Abilities, Connecting passions with ministry, and Experiences in life. Each week, you will learn the ways you are individually made and how this was intentional for you to “serve faithfully.” Whether you are unsure of where to get started with personal ministry or want confirmation of your current ministry, PLACE is a good PLACE to start! PLACE will be held every Sunday from April 12 through May 10 from 8:45 AM to 10:30 AM. Indi-vidual coaching sessions will be offered upon completion. Contact Lisa Sharpley to sign up at [email protected].

Rev. Jim Morrow and son, Homecoming 2013

Stephen Ministry Are you a quiet sufferer? The quiet suffer, the unnoticed one. This may be someone who encourters a series of smaller losses, stresses, or problems - any one of which he or she could normally take in stride - but when added together pose a bigger challenge. It could also be someone simply affected by the timing of a certain loss. The loss itself may not normally have been significant, but when taken in the con-text of the person's situation at that point in time, it may be much more difficut to handle. In most instanc-es, quiet suffers may very well be able to work things through alone. However, they probably could work through the issue much better, faster, or with less stress with the help and support of a Stephen Minister.

"Praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can

comfort those with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." 2 Cor. 1:3-4

If you'd like to talk about having a Stephen Minister, contact:Brooke Chambers ~ 355-8527 ext. 46 (o) ~~ 731-439-1777 (c) ~~ [email protected]

Wednesday NightChurch Supper

4/1: Baked Potato Salad Bar 4/8: Sesame Ginger Glazed Boneless

Chicken Breast with Rice and Vegetable Medley

4/15: Baked Ham, Corn Pudding and Green Beans

4/22: Spaghetti, Garlic Bread and Dessert4/29: Hamburgers, Hot Dogs

5/6: Aussie Spring Chicken, Wild Rice, Broccoli and dessert

Wednesday, May 6 will be the last Wednesday Night Supper before summer.

The Prayer Room at our church is open every Sunday immediately following all three services. Anyone is welcome to come that would like to have private prayer or have someone pray with them. A prayer partner will be available. The Prayer Center is located in the Tabby House adjacent to the main sanctuary.

Remember the Endowment Fund in your Wills, Trusts,

Honorariums & Memorials

Covered Dish Supper Under the Oaks

CONGREGATIONAL CARE: A messsage from Rev. Meg Procopio

PLACE: Personality, Learning, Abilities, Connecting and Experiences

ONLINE GIVING AND TITHING

ENDOWMENT FUND

HOMECOMING 2015

PRAYER ROOM

“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For indeed, that’s all who ever have.”

-Margaret Mead


VBS LEADERSHIP REGISTRATIONIOHUMC Vacation Bible School: June 15th - 19thPlease prayerfully consider being part of this year's VBS Leadership Team. As a VBS worker you may register your children at this time. Register with forms in the front hallway or email Lisa Sharpley at [email protected]. Leadership Orientation - Thursday, May 15th 6:30 PMMake Up Orientation - Sunday, May 18th 1:00 PM

connect, equippray, servepray, serve

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New Member Class Core Connections

May 17, 2015

Core Connections is a relaxed, 3 hour session, led by our pastors, in which you will learn about our church and your role as a mem-ber. At the end of the session you will have an opportunity to com-mit to church membership.

You can register online at www.iohumc.com (click on Core Con-nections Class) or by calling the church office at (912) 355-8527.

Please contact Mackay Lee or Katie Kavanaugh for more information on any of these events .Mackay: 912-355-8527 ext. 15 or at [email protected] Katie: 912-355-8527 ext. 17 or at [email protected]

Welcome to our New Members from the Confirmation Class of 2015!Jonathan BethelWalker BowersWill BrantleyRowan BurgessChristopher ChengJosh Colon

Thomas CostnerClay DekleTate DixonBrian EganTrip FlowersCarter Geriner

4 Reasons You Should Be at DNOW!

This month we will have our third annual Disciple Now Retreat. We will be teaming up with several other churches in the area and meeting at Skidaway Island UMC for a weekend of worship and fellowship. This year we will have speaker David McNeely and Classic City Col-lective, a worship band out of Athens, GA. We would love for your middle and high schoolers to be a part of this weekend and here’s why:

1. A Chance to ConnectDNow is a great retreat because it helps connect our students through host homes and small groups. Our students are divided into homes for the weekend by grade and gender. Spending two nights with your friends as well as people you “kind of know” can help us add some depth to our friendships. We are able to create memories and inside jokes from the time we invest during the weekend. Also, there are churches from all over Savannah attending. This helps us to connect and broaden our network within our area.

2. SO. MUCH. FUN.It really is. The sessions are lively and entertaining with games and great music and Saturday afternoon is full of free time for you to hang with your host home groups. Each group re-ceives some money for activities for the afternoon and they get to pick what they want to do!

3. Spiritual DepthWe are challenged by the messages we hear and the discussions we have in our small groups. Our students have a chance to discuss what their struggles are and how they are growing in their faith within their group discussions. It’s a chance for our students to lean on one an-other and be invested in by leaders as they go deeper in their faith.

4. It's in Town!We know that life is crazy. You guys are out of town for sports and school and vacations. It’s hard to add another weekend of traveling in, especially if there are events that take place over the weekend. DNow is great because it’s here. If you really want to attend, but have a soccer game on Saturday, you just need to let a leader know (Katie or Mackay) and you can still be a part of the rest of the weekend.

We are so excited to be able to work with our youth worker friends on this incredible weekend and hope you will be able to be a part of it. Registration is open. Please submit a permission form and payment to the front office by April 16th.

Date: April 24th – 26thCost: $55Who: Wesley Monumental UMC, Wilmington Island UMC, Skidway Island UMC, White Bluff UMCWhere: Skidaway Island UMC

Geb Beasley

Joined by profession of faith on 2/8.

WELCOME TO OUR 2015 NEW MEMBERS!

Cindy & Henry Burgstinter

Joined by transfer of membership on 2/8.

Adam Eisenbeil


Matthew & Nancy Hedtke


William & Gail Lanier


Audra McDonald

Joined by profession of faith 2/8.

Mark & Marianne Miller


Neil & Christy Odom

Joined by transfer of membershipon 3/22.

Tim & Becky Frame


Caroline GilpinMary Baynes GreeneJay HaganBonnie HenemanTurner HilliardWin Johns

Nicholas JowersKatherine LemackColeman MariniHayley MeyersMatthew MimsLucy Mock

Grace MooreAbby PeacockGracie PhillipsErickson RasplickaCampbell SherrillEmily Smith

Bennett StroopEthan StrotherCameron WeaverEmma WestJake WilkesJack WyllySophie Ziblut

CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES


SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATIONEpworth By The Sea Elementary Camp June 29th - July 3rdRise and Shine Preschool Camp July 13th - 17thGiddy Up & Go Nursery July 14th - 16thCamp registration forms are available in the front hallway or online at www.iohumc.com/children. Forms must be filled out completely & returned with payment to IOH United Methodist Church Children's Ministry (The Green House) before you will be officially registered. Camp fees are non-refundable! NOTE: A separate check & registration form is required for each child registering for each CAMP.

glad tidings april 2015

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